The Best Seasons in Franchise History: Baltimore Orioles

The St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore before the 1954 season.  Within a 15 years they had successfully shed their image as a perennial loser, winning both the 1966 and 1970 World Series. 

This transition was made possible in large part because of some outstanding individual performances. This article seeks to build a roster of the best individual seasons at each position in Baltimore Orioles history (not counting any seasons that took place in St. Louis).  

Catcher: Chris Hoiles, 1993

1993 was the only year that Chris Hoiles accumulated more than 500 PA, but he made them count. 

He accumulated the fourth highest OPS in the league while playing terrific defense behind the plate. He racked up 29 HR, the second of three times that he would break the 20 HR barrier during his ten year tenure with the O’s.

First Base: Eddie Murray, 1983

Steady Eddie was a model of consistency during his 21 year career in the majors. Without being flashy, he managed to hit 25 or more home runs 12 times and led the league with 22 in the strike-shortened season of 1981.

He was so consistent that he put up four consecutive seasons with an OPS+ of 156 from ’81-’84, putting up eerily similar numbers in almost every statistical category.

His participation on a World Series-winning team led me to choose ’83, when he finished second in the MVP voting to his teammate and fellow Hall-of-Famer, Cal Ripken Jr.

Second Base: Bobby Grich, 1974

One of the most underrated players of all-time, Bobby Grich was an outstanding defensive second baseman during his 17-year career. 

He teamed up with Mark Belanger in the 1970's to form arguably the best double play combination ever. In 1974, Grich led all AL second basemen in putouts and assists while reaching base .376 percent of the time. 

Third Base: Brooks Robinson, 1964

Brooks Robinson was called the “vacuum cleaner” for his ability to scoop up just about anything hit in his general direction.  This skill earned him an incredible and deserved 16 straight gold gloves.

Although he wasn’t typically thought of as a great hitter, Robinson was locked in at the plate in 1964.  He hit .317 with 28 dingers, a league leading 118 RBI’s, and a career high 145 OPS+.

Despite not playing on the pennant winner, Robinson was justly awarded the league MVP.

Shortstop: Cal Ripken Jr., 1991

One of the game's all-time great shortstops, Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive game streak actually overshadowed his abilities as a ballplayer.

While most fans focused on his Ironman streak, Ripken was also setting the all-time record for home runs by a shortstop and accumulating more fielding runs above replacement than all but two shortstops in history.

His second MVP season in 1991 represented arguably the greatest individual effort ever by a shortstop.  He put up 85 extra-base hits, 114 RBI, a .323 batting average, and the highest OPS+ by a shortstop since Robin Yount almost a decade earlier.

Left Field: Boog Powell, 1974

Boog Powell won the 1970 MVP award and led his team to its second championship in five seasons. 

But his best season was six years earlier, when he led the American League with a .606 slugging percentage, placed second with a 176 OPS+ and hit 39 home runs in just 134 games.

Center Field: Brady Anderson, 1996

Throughout his career, Brady Anderson proved himself to be a solid leadoff hitter, posting on-base percentages consistently above .360.

In 1996, he payed on a completely different level.  Anderson finishing second in the league with 50 HR while placing third with a .637 slugging percentage.  He also put up a then-career best on-base percentage of .396.

Right Field: Frank Robinson, 1966

The Reds thought their star outfielder's best days were over and traded Frank Robinson to the Orioles.

The very next season, Robinson won the triple crown while posting a franchise record 198 OPS+.

He was awarded with the MVP, becoming the only player to win the award in both leagues.

On top of that, Robinson continued his dominance into the World Series, hitting two home runs and a triple in the four game sweep to win series MVP honors.

Designated Hitter: Jim Gentile, 1961

Jim Gentile played just 936 mostly unremarkable games in the big leagues, but he took advantage of expansion in a big way in 1961. 

Gentile finishing third behind Maris and Mantle in the MVP race. The left handed slugger led the league in RBI's with 141 and finished third in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage. 

RHP: Jim Palmer, 1975

Before the emergence of good old #8, Jim Palmer was the man that most folks associated with the Baltimore Orioles franchise. And why not?

He won 20 games eight times, including a career high 23 in 1975.

He was a workhorse that year, throwing 323 innings, with 25 complete games and 10 shutouts.  On top of that, he won his second ERA title and his third Cy Young Award in four years.

LHP: Dave McNally, 1968

In the Year of the Pitcher, Dave McNally led the American League with a microscopic 0.842 WHIP and maintained an ERA under 2 for the whole season.

1968 was the first of four consecutive twenty win seasons for McNally. 

Even as he left the team he paid dividends, as he was used as trade bait to acquire Ken Singleton.

RHP: Mike Mussina, 1992

Mike Mussina’s retirement in 2008 after one of the best years of his career left a few open questions. 

Would he be inducted into the Hall of Fame? If yes, will he go as an Oriole or a Yankee?

He certainly pitched more games on with the latter, but definitely put up his best numbers in Birdland.

The fans who trickled into beautiful Camden Yards got a real treat in 1992 whenever the 22 year old nicknamed “Moose” took the hill.

In his first full year as a big leaguer, Mussina finished 4^th in ERA, 2^nd in WHIP, 4^th in wins and 2^nd in shutouts. Interestingly, he put up this career year despite the lowest strikeout rate of his career. 

LHP: Mike Cuellar, 1969

Mike Cuellar didn’t actually lead the league in anything in 1969 but was outstanding across the board. 

He finished 3^rd in ERA, 2^nd in wins, 2^nd in WHIP, 5^th in strikeouts, 5^thin BB/9 and 3^rd in shutouts.  It was good enough to get him a first place tie with Denny McLain for the Cy Young award.

LHP: Mike Flanagan, 1979

Rounding out this “Mike Brothers” rotation is the 1979 AL Cy Young winner Mike Flanagan.

Flanagan was an average pitcher for most of his career.  But he was outstanding for the pennant winning Orioles, winning 23 games, putting up a solid 130 ERA+ and completing 16 of his 38 starts with 5 shutouts.

Bench

C/1B: Gus Triandos, 1956: 47% CS for his career; 121 OPS+ in ‘56

2B: Roberto Alomar, 1996: Despite .328/.411/.527 line, the season actually prevented first ballot Hall of Fame enshrinement.

3B/SS: Miguel Tejada, 2004: The only player besides ARod and Sosa to drive in 150 during the 00’s.

OF: Reggie Jackson, 1976: Yes, he played a year with the Orioles…and led the league in slugging.

OF: Ken Singleton, 1977: He placed third in MVP voting with 165 OPS+

OF: Al Bumbry, 1980: The only player to win the bronze star for valor and steal 40 bases. Probably.

Bullpen

Closer: Randy Myers, 1997: The Orioles won 19 fewer games without him in ’98.

Setup: Stu Miller, 1965: He won or saved 38 of Orioles' 94 wins

“Fire”man: Hoyt Wilhelm, 1961: A 168 ERA+ over 109.2 innings; can spot-start.

RHP: Greg Olson, 1989: ROY placed 6th in Cy Young voting and 12th in MVP voting

LHP: B.J. Ryan, 2005: 100 K’s in just 70.1 innings of work.

Batting Order

• Anderson (L)
• Grich (R)
• F. Robinson (R)
• Powell (L)
• Ripken (R)
• Gentile (L)
• Murray (S)
• Hoiles (R)
• B. Robinson (R)